I want to buy a late model Banshee but I need to know what to look for when I buy one. What is the compression on a good one and what other things should I check?
Thanks, this is my first time on.

 

The compression is gonna vary if any head work was done, pistons are different, and air filters have been changed. You want them both within 10% of each other though. check the chain rollers on the swing arm and make sure they havnt worn and gotten into the swingarm. check the axle play in the carrier and make sure there is no slop. also look for play in the a-arms,shock bushings, and ball joints. Check the oil to make sure it isnt real milky.

 

Yeah but what is factory,stock compression? and how low can it be before replacement of rings/ pistons are needed? I test drove a banshee the other day and kicking it was like stepping on a mashed potato. It was a 95 w/no mods. The guy also had a 96 blaster w/ no mods and it had twice the compression. I tried another blaster that a guy said the compression was 113lbs and the banshee that i tried before was nowhere near the blaster. i talked to one guy who said that the banshee has low compression to begin with not to mention the smaller piston [compared to the blaster]. but i remember when i was young[er] my kx 80 seemed to have more compression than the banshee. Basically i'm looking for numbers that represent what might be a good compression range before i have to consider redoing the top end. i also appreciate any other "lookouts" as i go shopping.

 

120 lbs is good compression for a stock brand new banshee

 

yep, around 115-120 sounds right. as long as there is no significant compression difference between the two cylinders. now the most important advice in my opinion: ONLY CONSIDER A STOCK BANSHEE!!! (there are just too many things to screw up....)

 

Thanks for the advice, fakie99. Does anyone have any idea how many hours (approximately) a Banshee can run on average under "normal" conditions before it needs a top end? My friends that used to have YZ's back in the day used to plan on top ending them every season or 2 at the longest. Are the cylinders sleeved or chromed? I haven't been into an engine in over 10 yrs so everything is brand new to me. Can they be bored out or do you have to sleeve them 1st? What if the mods are done by a shop/ "professionally"?

 

the cylinders can be bored. also, even in the case of a professional modification, "professional" is a VERY subjective term. i would really stray away from modded machines unless you've seen them in action or know the person well.

as far as top-end rebuild, i can only speak from the standpoint of a stock machine. my machine is a 94 banshee and it has not had the top end refreshed, and i ride pretty hard. the guys i ride with also have not had thier top ends rebuilt in the last couple of years (although one guy did just last year, but it had been 7 years!) i think that rebuilding a top end every two years would be overkill and quite unnecessary. but again, if the engine has been built, the story may be different. hope this helps you out....

 

Fakie99, when was the last time you checked the compression? What was it? How often do you ride and for how long? What conditions do you ride? Do you/ have you raced it? Is there anything special that you do to help your Banshee "keep it's youthful vigor and appearance"? What repairs have you had to do that didn't start out as mods?

 

The guy who gave you the advice of only buying a stock banshee is a smart guy, listen to him. There are way to many people out there who think they know how to build a motor, and just screw things up. If you are at all interested in building your motor, make sure it is stock.

As far as rebuilds, it will depend how hard you ride, and how well you maintain your bike. Nothing is worse on a motor than a dirty air filter!

When i first had a trail port job done on my bike (before i turned it into a drag bike) and toomeys, i rode alot, and put a new top end in it every season. The best way to know when to replace is to do a compresison check whe you first buy the machine. Then you have a baseline to determine the freshness of your motor. When the compression begins to drop, it is time for a rebuild. THe amount that you let it drop before rebuilding depends on your preference, it may only be 10 lbs if you are racing and looking for every last hp, or more if you just trail ride.

 

i see you're from zeeland, mi. where do you ride? i'm from the detroit area and ride the dunes whenever i get the chance.